The only freedom children get as a result of being homeschooled is the freedom their parents give them.<\/em><\/p>\nSome homeschool parents give their children a great deal of freedom, including the freedom to set their own daily schedules, their own academic goals, and their own social calendars. These parents serve primarily as guides and facilitators. Some even take this to its extreme and \u201cunschool.\u201d While there are educators and others who would argue that this is too much freedom, and that children need at least some structure, they can\u2019t deny that these homeschooled children do indeed have a great deal of freedom.<\/p>\n
Other homeschool parents micromanage their children\u2019s daily schedules, academic goals, and social calendars, exercising a level of complete control over their children\u2019s lives that would be impossible if those children attended public school. Being constantly under the watchful eye of one or both parents, these children are without the reprieve that leaving the home to attend public school might allow. In the end, homeschooled children whose parents flex their ability to exercise complete control over their educations and lives are utterly without freedom.<\/p>\n
Homeschooling in the hands of good parents can serve as a tool for children\u2019s liberation; homeschooling in the hands of bad parents can serve as tool for children\u2019s oppression.<\/strong><\/p>\nIn the end, the only individuals who are guaranteed <\/em>greater freedom after the decision is made to homeschool are the homeschool parents. The homeschooled kids only get what freedom their parents decide to give them. Sometimes that\u2019s a lot, but other times it\u2019s next to nothing. Homeschooling doesn\u2019t give kids freedom\u2014it merely gives their parents sole control over their education, social life, and emotional development.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the end, the only individuals who are guaranteed greater freedom after the decision is made to homeschool are the homeschool parents. The homeschooled kids only get what freedom their parents decide to give them. Sometimes that’s a lot, but other times it’s next to nothing. Homeschooling doesn’t give kids freedom—it merely gives their parents sole control over their education, social life, and emotional development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":845,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-homeschool"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a>After writing a post exploring (or failing to explore) the potential positives of homeschooling<\/a>, I had an additional thought. Over and over again when I look at lists of the good things about homeschooling, I see \u201cfreedom\u201d rise to the top. Freedom from the constricting schedule of a formal school, freedom to go at your own pace, freedom to choose what to study and when to study it, freedom to go on educational trips or randomly leave formal homework unfinished and head outside to a more experiential classroom. Freedom<\/em>.<\/p>\n